Watch: Tiger Woods praises fantastic support at Carnoustie after his second round at The Open

Tiger Woods might not be challenging the leaders just yet but the US golfer continues to be a big draw at The Open at Carnoustie.

Woods shot a second straight 71 in the second round on Friday and it is the first time in five years that the former world No.1 has opened a major championship with a par score or better after the first two rounds.

The golfing legend received ‘fantastic support’ in his own words throughout the day. Watch what Woods had to say below:

Clubs

Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner share lead at the Open after round two

Housemates Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner set the pace in the 147th Open Championship as Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy headed the European bid to end American dominance of golf’s majors.

Johnson, who is looking to become the first player in history to win major titles at Augusta, St Andrews and Carnoustie, added a 67 to his opening 69 to set the clubhouse target on six under par.

First-round leader Kisner looked set to surpass that with ease when he birdied the 13th and 14th to reach eight under, only to hit his second shot to the 18th into the Barry Burn and run up a double-bogey six.

That meant Fleetwood was just a shot off the lead after earlier defying miserable conditions to card the only bogey-free round of the day, his flawless 65 just two shots outside the course record he set in last year’s Dunhill Links Championship.

Americans Pat Perez and Xander Schauffele were alongside Fleetwood on five under, with McIlroy joined on four under by last year’s runner-up Matt Kuchar, Tony Finau and the South African duo Erik van Rooyen and Zander Lombard.

Johnson won the Masters in 2007 and the Open at St Andrews in 2015 by beating Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a play-off, but came into the week firmly under the radar.

“I don’t know who is managing the radar. It is irrelevant to me,” said the 42-year-old, who is sharing accommodation at the Open for the third year in succession with Kisner, defending champion Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jimmy Walker, Jason Dufner and Rickie Fowler.

“Maybe I’m just overly conservative and boring and that’s perfectly fine. I just like to compete. It doesn’t matter where it is, what it is. Just give me an opportunity.”

Kisner and Fowler are the only housemates yet to win a major, but Kisner insists it is not an intimidating situation.

“I learned that everybody’s going through the same stuff and trying to shoot the lowest score possible and everybody puts their pants on the same way I do,” the 34-year-old said.

“They just won a few more times than I have and probably got a couple more zeros in their bank account.”

Brooks Koepka’s second straight US Open victory last month means American players still hold all four major titles, but Fleetwood finished just a shot behind at Shinnecock Hills after agonisingly missing from eight feet for birdie on the 72nd hole to equal the all-time major record of 62.

A first major title could now beckon on home soil instead and make Fleetwood the first Englishman to lift the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992.

“It would be very special,” the world number 10 said. “I can’t lie about it. If I could pick one tournament in my life to win, it would be the Open. I’ve never been anywhere near before.

“We’re only halfway through the tournament, unfortunately. There’s no point thinking about the end game. Thirty-six holes is a long time.”
McIlroy has certainly not been at his brilliant best so far, but kept himself firmly in the hunt with a round containing four birdies and two bogeys.

“I feel like there are low rounds in me,” the 29-year-old said. “If I can get on a run or get off to a fast start in the next couple of days, I definitely see something like a 66 or a 65. I think I’m capable of that.”

Defending champion Spieth and Fowler are just three shots off the lead, with Tiger Woods six adrift after a second successive 71.